Volunteering FAQs

Interested in volunteering? Below we answer some of our most frequently asked questions. If there's anything else you'd like to know, give us a call on 0118 304 2777 or email volunteering@makeawish.org.uk – we're here to help.

Why volunteer with Make-A-Wish?

Our volunteers are an invaluable part of Make-A-Wish, and we always aim to give you the best experience possible when you volunteer with us. By volunteering, not only will you be helping us grant even more magical wishes – you'll also be developing your skills and meeting new people, whilst doing something inspiring. And there are loads of ways of getting involved – whether it's promoting Make-A-Wish in your local community, or cheering on runners at an event.

Who can volunteer?

If you'd like to support us, we'd love to have you involved! Our volunteers come from lots of different backgrounds – from senior professionals to students, and even past wish families. There's a wide range of people working with us to help us grant wishes. The only things we ask of our volunteers are that they have regular access to the internet, and are aged 18 or over.

How do I apply for a role?

There are two ways you can volunteer with us. You can apply for one of the ongoing roles we're recruiting for – or, if you’d prefer a more casual role, take a look at our one-off volunteering opportunities. All you need to do is fill in our online form, then we'll be in touch.

Where can I volunteer?

We have hundreds of volunteers across the country getting involved in their local communities. Take a look at the In your area page to see what's happening near you.

How much time would I need to give?

This will depend on the volunteer role – you can view our volunteering opportunities here.

Do you offer training?

Our volunteers go through online training as part of their induction. For some roles, we'll also arrange face-to-face training with you.

Will it cost me anything to volunteer?

No. Although volunteers aren't paid for their time, we'll reimburse you for your travel and other legitimate expenses. If you receive benefit payments, volunteering will not affect these.

Can you explain the application process?

Our application process is designed to help us make sure we match your needs, skills and experiences with the right volunteer role. We want to find out who you are, what you can offer and what you'd like to get out of your volunteering experience.

Once we've received your application form, we'll use this to decide if the role you've applied for would be the best use of your skills and experience. For the Wish Visitor role we do this using a scoring system, so it's important to give us as much information about yourself and your relevant skills and attributes as possible.

If you're selected for a role, we'll contact you via email to arrange an informal chat. This is an opportunity for you to ask any questions you might have and for us to get to know you a bit better. If you're successful at this stage and would like to go ahead with your application, we'll write to your referees and once they get back to us, we’ll ask you to do some online induction training.

Once we've received your references and you've completed the induction training, we'll contact you to discuss next steps, including further training or a local induction.

The application process should take no longer than 12 weeks and may be shorter depending on factors outside of our control, such as how quickly your references are returned. You can contact us at any time to find out what stage your application is at.